Vegetable packing machinery



July 4, 1950 w. DODGE VEGETABLE PACKING MACHINERY 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 27, 1946 INVENTOR WESLEY DODGE BY 6 HIS ATTORNEY July 4, 1950 w. DODGE 2,513,459

VEGETABLE PACKING MACHINERY Filed July 27, 1946 l a Sheets-Sheet 2 HIS ATTORNEY July 4, 1950 w. DODGE VEGETABLE PACKING MACHINERY 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 ljiled July 27, v1946 INVENTOR; WESLEY 0000s HIS ATTORNEY July 4, 1950 w. DODGE 2,513,459

VEGETABLE PACKING MACHINERY Filed July 2'7, 1946 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG.7

INVENTOR. WESLEY DODGE HIS ATTORNET! July 4, 1950 w. DODGE 2,513,459

VEGETABLE PACKING MACHINERY Filed July 27, 1946 s Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

WESLEY DODGE l l I F s. n Li ms ATTOREY July 4, 1950 w. DODGE VEGETABLE PACKING MACHINERY 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed July 27, 1946 F l6. l2

F l 6. l5

INVENTOR.

WESLEY HIS ATTORNEY July 4, 1950 w. DODGE 2,513,459

VEGETABLE PACKING MACHINERY Filed July 27, 1.946 8 Sheets-Sheet '7 282 WESLEY DODGE l.9 BY flaw/J HIS ATTORNEY July 4, 1950 Filed July 27, 1946 W. DODGE VEGETABLE PACKING MACHINERY 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 '11- WIIIIIIIIIII'IA INVENTOR.

WESLEY DODGE Patented July 4, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims,

This invention relates to improvement in article packing machines, and particularly to a, ma? chine designed for wrapping articles of compare? tively irregular size and shape, such as lettuce, cabbages, cauliflower, oranges, lemons, apples and like articles as well as articles in bulk such as fresh corn kernels, peas, beans, Brussels sprouts and the like.

Recent studies have indicatedthe desirability of preparing such articles for consumption and thereafter wrapping the prepared articles in a suitable wrapper, the operation being performed either at the point of shipment or at a distribution center geographically near to the point of final sale. The machine of the present invention is particularly suited to such an operation, operating rapidly and efliciently to place and secure a suitable wrapper about the prepared article.

It is generally the broad object of the present invention to provide a novel machine for the wrapping of head lettuce and the like.

The machine of the present invention includes an article delivery conveyor preferably advanced intermittently to deposit the articles to be wrapped at a wrapping station. To the wrapping station is delivereda wrapper sheet, e. g., vege=- table parchment, cellophane .or other suitable wrapping material. The wrapper sheet is derived from a, roll of the material, being drawn intoposition at the wrapping station andthen cut off from the roll, .the operation .being per.- formed rapidly and quite accurately. Atnthe wrapping station, the article .isdeposited upon the wrapper and the two are then forced downwardly through a suitable confining passageway to draw the wrapper up and around the article so that its ends are gathered together and, extend above the article. The extending ends of the wrapper are then brought together into; abutment and are secured together. Inthe formoi machine disclosed, I have utilized a length of wire as a securing means, forming astaple of this and bending the staple about the abuttingends of the wrapper to secure these. The ends of the wrapper which project unevenlyabove the staple are then cut off evenly so that a neat appearing package-is provided.

The invention will be particularly describedas it has been practiced upon headlettuce. .HOW- ever, as has been set forth, other articles-can be readily packaged.

The invention includes other objects. andfeatures of advantage, some of which, together'with thev foregoing, will appear hereinafter wherein the present preferred form of packaging machine of this invention is disclosed.

Figure. 1 is a plan of the machine with portions broken away to illustrate, the construction, the wrapper sheet being omitted. I

Figure2 is, a plan view of individual carrier element on the feed conveyor.

Figure 3 is a tragrnental section on the line 3-73 through Figure 2 showing construction of an article carrier.

Figure .4 is an elevation along lines 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a Section along lines 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a section along lines 6-& of Fig-- ure 5.

i u rI is a sec i n al nslin s of Fie- 76 isure 8 saplan viewpf ns am plate h ch o rates the crimpin laws.

i u 9 is a a i l se t n a on i e 9-5 of Figure ,5.

F g-ure '10 .is a s ction alon lines I i 0 of Fla ure 9.

Fi ure 11 s a se tion long lines 11,- of F sure 10.

Figure12 is a side elevation of the crimping jaw for forming the locking member.

Figure 13 is a viewalong lines 13743 of Figure 12.

Figure 14 is a section along lines l4-|;4 of Figure 12.

Figure 15 is a section comparable to that of Figure l i but with the jaws in closed positiQn showing formation of thelocking member.

Figure 15 is a view similar to Figure 12 but with jaws lo ed. and he wrap e packa e in position.

Figure 17 s a-planview o t e r mp w in open position.

Fig 8 s a plan iew sim ar t tha i Figure 17 but with the jaws closed.

igure 19 is. a secti n throu h the di harg conveyor.

Fi ure, 2015 a plan of the wrapper-pu11in finers.

Figure :21 is .an elevation. of. the wrapper-pulling fingers inclosed, wrapper-,gripping position.

Figure 22-is an; elevation of thewrapperepull .ing fingers in an open position.

,Fignre;23 isan elevation of a portion of the knife in positionifor. cutti-ngof the wrapper. sheet.

Figure 24 is an end view of the wrapper cuttin -knife.

Figure 25 is a section througha, modified design forqpaekaging bulkmaterials such as peas, beansand likebulk articles.

The construction of the present preferred form of the machine and its operation are as follows:

The conveyor and its movement To convey articles into the machine, I provide a feed conveyor 3 having a plurality of separate article support elements 4. Each'of the elements 4 is connected to the adjacent elements by links 6 between rollers I (Figure 2). Conveyor 3 rides over a path provided by sprockets 8, 9, and II,

being supported by angle irons 48 as it advances over the upper horizontal portion of its travel from sprocket 8 towardsprocket 9. The sprockets 8 and 9 are slotted to receive rollers I and pins I2 (Figure 5) Each article support' element 4 includes four flaps I3, each hinged intermediate its ends to frame I4 by a pin I8 and supported by a spring strip II stiff enough to support that portion of the weight of the article thereon.

In the apparatus shown, conveyor 3 is moved step by step by a Geneva movement provided by a slotted wheel I8 driven by pin I9 on an arm 2I mounted on constantly rotated shaft 22 with circular segment 23. Wheel I8 and sprockets 9 are each fixed to shaft 24. Pin I9 engages slots 26 on wheel I8 to turnthe wheel and move the conveyor forward step by step to advance the conveyor a predetermined distance. 7 leaves slot 26, wheel I8 stops and circular segment 23 engages one of the circular recesses 21 on wheel I8 to locate and position the wheel to receive pin I9 in the next slot 26. Each revolu- As pin I9' tion of arm 2I moves conveyor 3 forward the length of one of the article carriers 4 sothat the article thereon can be deposited on a wrapper sheet, wrapped, and, when wrapped, discharged. Shaft 22 is driven from drive shaft 28 through chain 29 and sprockets M and 42. 28 is in turn driven by motor 43 through 44 and sprockets 46 and 41.

Feeding of the wmpping sheet chain Drive shaft Movement of an article toward the wrapping station is utilized to control delivery of a wrapper sheet to the station. 'When conveyor 3 is loaded, each article successively raises and rocks arm 49 clockwise in Figure 5' to rotate shaft 5| and cam 52 thereon (Figures 5 and 7). 52 actuates micro-switches 53 and 54'mounted on frame I of the machine. Micro-switch 53 completes a circuit through a solenoid 56 which operates a pin clutch 51. Pin clutch 51 is a well known device in which the solenoid 56 moves;-

wedge 58 to move pin' 59 against the bias of a spring (not shown) and away from disc 6I on shaft 28 to disconnect this from disc 62 on shaft 63. While the shaft 28 to which disc 6| is con- Cam nected is rotated continuously, shaft 63, to which disc 62 is connected, revolves only when microswitch 53 is actuated to complete thecircuit to solenoid 56. Energization of solenoid 58 is effective to withdraw wedge 58 and permit the spring biasing pin 59 to move the pin 59 to engage disc Shaft 63 drives shaft 64 through bevel gears 65 while shaft 64 in turn rotates'shaft 86 through bevel gears 61. Mounted on shaft 66 are sprockets beneath the wrapper sheet (Figures 21 and 22).

As clamps I3 leave sprockets II, fingers I4 are :withdrawn and spring 9| forces jaw I8 down on the wrapper sheet and force a tooth 92 to press the wrapper into a hole 93 in jaw TI (Figure 21) to grip the wrapper sheet firmly. The wrapper sheet is then drawn across plate 94 by clamps I 13. The plate 94 is ribbed to prevent the wrapper from sticking when wet (Figure 5).

'The wrapper sheet ,is severed to provide a wrapper of a desired length, the mechanism for this being presently described. When a Wrapper sheet covers plate 94, clamps l3 encounter angle plate'95 to rotate tail 96 of jaw I8 and open the clamps, as appears in Figure 22, and release the wrapper sheet just as plunger 91 is caused to descend to engage an article beneath the plunger. As will be presently described, plunger 91 moves downwardly to force an article past supporting flaps I 3 in the article carrier by rotating these and through an aperture in plate 94 and cylindrical guide 98, through hole 99 in stapling plate IOI, through hole I02 in cam plate I03 and into an open bottom basket I04 wherein the article rests momentarily with the wrapper drawn up around the article with the ends of the wrapper adjacent one another.

The wrapper cut-01f Just before plunger 91 descends, the cutting mechanism, generally indicated at I06, cuts off a length of the wrapper I9 sufficient to wrap the article (Figures 23 and 24). Cutter I06 comprises a knife-holding bar I07 revolving on shaft I08uand' blade receiving bar I09 revolving on shaft III. Bar I0! carries knife 2 and paper clamps II3, while bar I08 carries knife receiving slot H4 and boss II6. As bars I08 and I09 approach the cutting position (Figure 24), boss :I I6 engages lug I II on knife II2, raising the latter against spring H8 and over the wrapper sheet I9. As bars I08 and I09 approach a vertical position, wrapper I9 is firmly held in place by clamps II3, being forced against bar I09 by springs II9. At the same time, lug lII slides off boss H6 and knife II2 drops forcefully and rapidly into slot I I4 to sever the wrapper I9 as it The wrapper feed The wrapper sheet I9 is derived from a roll IZIand is fed at a suitable speed into the wrapping section. The roll of paper I2! is mounted on shaft I28 which rests on rollers I29, shaft I28 being rotated by shaft I4'I through spur gears I42. Shaft MI is rotated by shaft I43 through bevel gears I44, shaft I43 being rotated by shaftl48 through bevel gears I4I. Shaft I46 is driven by a variable speed transmission device I48 of a well-known disc type, the variable speed device being driven from shaft I49 which 15* in turn rotated from shaft 63 "througha sprocket and chain drive I5I.

In transmission I48, disc I52 on shaft I49 presses against and turns disc I53" (Figure "1) which in turn rotates disc I54 on shaft I46. Disc I53 is mounted on shaft I56 which is journaled in a support I51 slidably mounted on a bar I58. The drive ratio between shafts I49 and I46 is varied by altering the position of disc-I52 with respect to discs I58 and I50. This is effected by a screw I59 rotated by motor- I6I through gear reducer I62. A calibrated scale I63 indicates the correct position for disc I53 for any given diameter of paper roll so an operator can check the feed at any time'andcan adjust this as will be presently described.

The wrapper sheet 19 passes under idler I64 and over idler I66 and plate I61. Idler I644 is journaled in arms I68 which rotate on shaft I69 while idler I64 is counterbalanced by weights I1 I. If the machine requires more wrapper thanis released off roll I21 at the setting of the variable speed transmission I48, the increased tension in paper 19 raises idler I64, turning shaft I69 and cam I12 mounted thereon. Cam micro-switches I-13 and I16 to completea circuit through each of these. Switch I13 controls motor I6I when idle I64 is above'or below the normal operating positionwhile switch I16 reverses the direction of rotation of motor I6I. If idler I64 is too high, indicating the need of a faster feed rate, motor I6I runs in the direction to make transmission I88 increase the speed of shaft I46 while if idler I64is too low, indicating a need for a slower feed rate, micro-switch I14 reverses the direction of motor I6I.

The plunger Placement of wrapper ends When plunger 91 has reached the bottom of its stroke, the article rests in a basket-like structure provided by a plurality of radially arranged supporting fingers I04 with a sheet of the wrapper about its bottom and extending loosely upward with the wrapper edges in guide 98 (Figures 5, 16, 17 and 18). Jaws I81, I88, H39 and 20I are moved toward one another to crimp the wrapper ends above the article into a small square indicated at I12 actuates- 202 (Figure 18) in which the wrapper ends are ready for sealing or fastening. Jaws I81 and I08 slide on plate WI between guides 203 while jaws I89 and 20I slide in guides 204. Jaw I81 is actuated by pin 206 sliding in cam track 201' on revolving cam plate I03 while like pins on jaws I88, I89 and 2? each ride in tracks 208, 209gand 2I I, respectively, as appears in Figure 8. Tracks 201 and 208 are similar to one another while track 209 is similar to track 2I I. Cam plate I03 rides on four vertical rollers 2I2 and is guided by four horizontal rollers 2I3 (Figure 9).

The rotation of plate I03 is selectively controlled by pin 2I4 which moves alternately over cam tracks 2I6 and 2I1 on double cam track cylinder 2I8. Cylinder 2I8 is mounted on shaft 223 and is driven from drive shaft 63 by chain 224 and sprockets 226. A slidable switch plate 2I9 (Figure 9) selectively permits pin 2I4 to travel over track 2I6 for one revolution and then over track 2 I 1 for the next revolution of cylinder When pin 2| 4 enters track 2I1 it strikes projection 22I on switch 2I9 causing switch 2I9 to slide to the right in Figure 9 to leave track -2I6 open to receive pin 2I4. When pin 2 I4 enters track 2'I6, it strikes projection 222 on switch 2I9, pushing switch 2 i 9 to the left and opening track 2I1. When pin 2I4 moves through track 2I6, plate I03 remains stationary but when pin 2I4 moves in track 2I1, plate I03 revolves until pin 206 moves from A to B in track 201 (Figure 8). At the same time, the pins in tracks 208, 209 and 2H move in toward hole I02 and jaws I81, I88, I89 and 2M are moved into abutment. ,When pin H4 is returned to track 2I6, the several pins and pin 206 are moved back to A.

stapling of the wrapper To secure the wrapper ends together any suitable means can be utilized; the ends can be heat sealed, tied with string or secured with a wire staple which I prefer. To effect this, jaw I81 includes a jaw proper and a stapling or staple form.- ing mechanism provided by stapling plate 228 carried on a heel plate 229. The stapling plate and the heel plate are slidably supported on the jaw I 81 by rods MI and are biased away from staple forming position by springs 221. Pin 206 is carried on the heel piece 229 and moves the jaw positively until the jaw abuts the other jaw members, i. e., when pin 206 reaches position C in track 201, jaw I81 can moVe no further, being against jaws I89 and 20I (Figure 15). However, pin 206 continues to move and springs 221 are compressed as stapling plate 228 is moved slidably through jaw E81 and heel piece 229 slides along rods 24I (Figure 16). As the plate 228 is moved in, it cuts off a length of wire 262 fed, as Will be described, from reel 259 and simultaneously forming a staple 243 about rocker 244 which is held in staple forming position until hole 246 in plate 228 is in position to admit tail 241 of rocker 244 (Figure 12). Plate 226 pushes rocker 244 down and compresses spring 248 while trigger 249 is pushed up against spring 25I. The bent wire staple 243 so formed surrounds the wrapper ends on three sides. The staple is closed, being bent around the fourth side of the wrapper ends by anvil plate 252 which has the same mo- .tion as plate 228.

Moving with plate 252 above jaw I88 is knife blade 253 which cuts off the surplus top portion 254 of the wrapper above the staple. As jaws I81, I89, I89 and 20I open to receive the next article, trigger 249 is pushed down to prevent defective staples from entering recess 256. Notches 251 in the sides of jaws I89 and 2M (FiguresQ and 15) permit the passage of staple 243 and plates228 and 252.

Wire feed Wire. 242 is fed from reel 259 across jaw I81 and infront of stapler plate 228 by a positive feeder indicated generally at 258 under the tension of screw clamp 214 which controls the tension in wire 242. Feeder 258 contains partially grooved wheel 26I and grooved wheel 262 mounted in housing 263 and revolving on pins 264 and 266, respectively (Figure 11). Wire is fed through tube 261 only when grooved portion 268 of wheel 26I is in contact with wire 242, wheel 26I being driven from shaft 66 through misses chain 269 and sprockets 21 I. Wheel 262 is driven by wheel 26I through spur gears 212.

Removal of wrapped articles After an article is wrapped, stapled and trimmed, the next article is shoved down on top of it forcing the wrapped article 214 through basket I04 into chute 216 onto trough conveyor 211 driven by gear motor 218 through belt 219 and sheaves 28I. Conveyor belt 282 contains rubber T sections 283 to move wrapped articles away (Figure 19).

Wrapping of bulk articles In Figure 25, I have illustrated a modification of the device in which plunger 91 is hollow and measured amounts of bulk materials as peas and the like are fed from pipe 284 through plunger 91 onto wrapper 19 after the plunger 91' has forced the wrapper into place. Conveyor 286 with container 281 is substituted for basket I04 and conveyor 211. Containers 281 may be permanently fixed to conveyor 286 merely to give form to the wrapper 19 while being filled or it may be part of the package.

In this form, the plunger, the wrapper placing mechanism and the bulk article delivery operate sequentially, that is, the wrapper is placed, the hollow plunger descends to force the wrapper into place and give it form whereupon the bulk articles are discharged. The plunger is then withdrawn, the bulk articles taking its place. The ends of the wrapper are then gathered and stapled.

Operation the article onto the wrapper and then forces the 1' two through the aperture in plate 94,'through cylindrical guide 98, through hole 99 in stapling plate IOI, through hole I02 in the cam plate I03 and into the support basket I04. When the loosely wrapped article rests in the basket, the ends of the wrapper are about the article. Jaws I81, I88, I89 and 20I then are actuated to gather and compress the loose wrapper ends until the article is tightly wrapped. The compressed wrapper end.

radially positioned jaws adapted to be moved toward and away from each other to force together said wrapper ends, means for moving said jaws toward and away from one another, and;means carried by one of said jaws for stapling the gathered ends of the wrapper while said ends are forced together by said jaws.

of the wrapper while said ends are forced together by said jaws, and means carried by one of said jaws for trimming the unstapled ends of the wrapper above the staple.

3. In a machine of the character described, a flexible basket for supporting a wrapper sheet in position about an article therein with the ends of thewrapper extending upwardly, a plurality of radially positioned jaws adapted to be, moved toward and away from each other to force together said wrapper ends, means for moving said jaws toward and away from one another, means for stapling the gathered ends of the wrapper while said ends are forced together by said jaws,

and a plunger for forcing a second article. on a wrapper down onto a wrapped, stapled article in said basket to displace said wrapped article and position said second article and wrapper fo stapling.

4. In a machine of the character described,

means for supporting a wrapper sheet in position about an article therein with the ends of ,the wrapper extending upwardly, a plurality of radially positioned jaws adapted to be moved toward and away from each other to force together said wrapper ends, means for moving said jaws toward and away from one another, and means carried by one of said jaws for stapling the gathered ends of thewrapper while said ends are forced together by said jaws including wire 'feedin'g'means for feeding in a length of wire across one of said jaws, a staple forming plate movable with respect to said jaw to cut oil 'a length of wire and force said length about a staple forming mechanism to bend the wire into a U shape and thence on about the compressed gathered wrapper ends and into abutment with another of said jaws to close said staple.

" WESLEY DODGE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record inthe file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,162,611 Jones Nov. 30, 1915 1,226,168 Barber May 15, 1917 1,635,035 Dickinson July 5, 1927 1,726,929 Slocomb et al Sept. 3, 1929 2,009,241 Roberts July 23, 1935 2,179,024 Slocum Nov. 7, 1939 

